Leading to This Moment
by Unsugar
Summary: Nanashi thinks back during the times when he watched how Alviss changed during the War Game, and how their relationship grows from there. implied NanaxAl


**Title:** Leading to This Moment

**Fandom:** Anime – Marchen Awakens Romance

**Author:** Faker of Innocence aka goldenneko

**Summary:** Nanashi thinks back during the times when he watched Alviss changed during the War Game, and how their relationship grows from there. (implied NanaxAl)

**Rating:** K+

**Warning:** Hints of shonen-ai, weird sense of humour

**Disclaimer:** I have checked my account bank; still do not have enough money to own Marchen Awakens Romance.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

As he entered the place, a girl bumped into him, tears streaked on her young face. Being the gentleman he was, Nanashi wanted to console her, only to notice that he had seen her somewhere before.

'_Ah, another one.'_

Letting the girl ran past him, the Ruberia leader let his eyes wandered, spotting the one he was searching for almost instantly. Of course, with his spiking blue hair and piercing eyes of the same colour but a few shades lighter, who wouldn't?

He had noticed those unique features for a long time ago.

Pacing confidently, he went straight to the seat beside the blunette, not even care to ask for permission. The younger man looked up, looking a bit surprised but at the same time acknowledged him.

"Mind if I sit here?" Not waiting for the answer, the blond thief dragged the chair out from under the table and sat on it beside the quiet boy.

'_No, no longer a boy. Haven't been since twelve years ago,'_ He corrected himself, looking intently at his younger companion.

It was true that Alviss was no longer a boy. The once 16-years old warrior was now a young man of 22, although bits of his teenage life could still be seen for people who bothered to search for it. The smooth, pale skin; the bright blue eyes; all made him look younger than his age. Not that he was _that_ old.

But a deeper look into the young man's eyes and people would know he had the mentality and maturity of someone twice his age.

After all, his outer physical appearance belied of what he had been forced to go through for the last 12 years of his life.

"Nanashi?"

A quiet, gentle voice broke through Nanashi's reverie. Snapping out of his thought, he tuned his attention back to his companion. "Yes, Al-chan?"

A small blush across Alviss' cheeks made Nanashi feel giggly in the inside, knowing that even after six years of being forced to bear that nickname, it still had the same effect on the young warrior just like the first time. "You were staring at me."

"Eh? Oh? Really? Hehe… sorry." _'Way smooth, buddy. You're a total failure in staring at people and not being caught.'_

Noticing Nanashi's embarrassment at being caught, Alviss flashed out his small smile, a trademark that, unbeknownst to him, had gathered him a big fan base. "So what brings you here?" He asked, still looking directly at the blond.

Nanashi's mind was again elsewhere when he saw that smile. When was the first time he saw that smile, he could not help but wonder. Surely not during the first time they met. The thief was quite sure Alviss _hated_ his guts the first time they met.

But no, thinking back, Alviss did not hate him. Rather, they were not close enough to know each other and hated or liked each other because of that. And, now he remembered clearly, his first smile was not dedicated to him, but to Ginta, who had tried to heal him from his Zombie Tattoo.

Yet, some time along the way, during the War Game, they grew closer. Starting with him calling Alviss with his infamous nickname, up until when they occasionally hugged during happy times. Or, more like him hugging the younger man. And the other seldom pushed him back, although sometimes he did, just for the sake of shutting up his dearest fairy friend. From the non-caring, cold attitude that he always had, Alviss turned to a trusted comrade who was willing to do anything for his friends in the span of a few months.

Wars caused most people sadness, anger and negative perceptive of life, but the War Game had changed Alviss in a positive way.

Maybe that was what that impressed him the most about Alviss; how he was able to learn to look at things in a positive way during the most depressing times.

"Nanashi! You're staring at me again!"

Again, the same voice woke him from his never-ending trance, this time along with a smack at the back of his head. "Al-chan, that hurts!!"

"Well, stop staring at me and stop calling me that!!"

"Oh, I've been calling like that for a long time now. Why should I stop now?"

"Because I told you to!"

"But…!"

A cold, hard glare stopped the former Ruberia's leader from finishing his sentence. Oh, he knew that glare alright. The glare that said, 'More words from you and you will even regret talking to me,' was dedicated to him more times that he ever bother to count. The glare that Nanashi was so sure that Alviss practiced on him to perfect it.

If there was any downside to Alviss' personality development for the last few years, that was it: his glare. Everyone said his glare was intensified after the War. Some said it was good; proving that the blunette showed more emotions, some said it was bad, especially if that glare was dedicated to you.

Of course, most of them blamed the blond, seeing as how Alviss got to practice his glare so many times on Nanashi.

"You're doing it again."

Nanashi blinked his eyes stupidly. Again. For God knows how many times since he entered the shop. "Huh?"

The younger man sighed, signalling that he gave up asking. "Why do I even bother?"

And Nanashi had the answer to that. "Because you care," he answered cheekily.

"Who said that?"

"You, of course."

An eyebrow raised, it was Alviss turned to stare at the other man. Nanashi inwardly laughed, knowing that the attitude meant, 'Can you kindly explain what's that supposed to mean?'

"Al-chan," he ignored the hiss coming from his companion, "you do realise that you show your emotions quite openly?"

Crossing his arms in front of him, Alviss urged, "And…?"

"And, just by your behaviour, other people can actually know what you're thinking. The fact that you kindly reminded me that I'm staring proved that."

"How about the fact that your staring made me feel uncomfortable? Have you thought about that?"

Denying everything, that was what Alviss had been good at for the last few weeks. Nanashi could not help but wonder why. "That's quite impossible. You're used to people staring at you. Just me would not make you uncomfortable."

"… Maybe because it was _you_ that made me uncomfortable," Alviss murmured, slight blush appeared on his cheeks.

Nanashi blinked at that. Knowing that he was walking on delicate matter, he asked, "Is it a bad thing that you showed your emotions openly? I don't think you mind before."

Alviss, who had – uncharacteristically – looked sideway, turned back to him. "It just made me feel uncomfortable, that's all."

Alviss, uncomfortable? Now, that was something that he did not hear everyday. What was it about him staring that made the unmovable Alviss reacted like that?

Then something clicked.

Leaning closer to the younger man, the Ruberia whispered to his ear, "If I don't stare, what about if I do this then?"

Alviss' reaction was instantaneous. His pale face reddened rapidly and pushed Nanashi along with his chair. By the time everyone else had turned around to see what actually happened, the Cross Guard had already left the place.

Leaving Nanashi snickering alone. As everyone in the shop turned to stare at him instead, Nanashi was already forming a plan to help the younger show more emotions.

Especially to him.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

This fic was not supposed to turn out like this. It was supposed to be hinted PhanxAl and one-sided NanaxAl, but it turned out to be something else. Oh well. -shrugs- I guess my NanaAl!muse is more overwhelming than my PhanAl!muse.

So, love it or hate it? CC is well appreciated.

F.o.I aka goldenneko


End file.
